0 - Dawn Of Silver

8 - From Childhood To Adolescence

3rd day of the scythe season 2445

Azena was in a terrible mood. She couldn't stand that most of her interactions with Fayne included her asshole older brother. He played nice and fine in front of the brunette, but he kept his shitty attitude otherwise.

That night, she was lonely. She felt a distance was forming between her and Fayne. Maybe it was her imagination, but she felt a coldness. She sighed, unsure what to do. Should she leave Fayne alone with all this? Should she make new friends? What was the point? All of Nothar thought she was a witch. Only the Litfow seemed to like her. But she didn't want to go there.

She watched the sky, lying on the roof of the house of old Gannia who had gone to bed early. Fortunately, because the girl didn't want to be scolded.

She stared at the stars for a long time, then at the moon, which was trying its best, in vain, to transition to brown. The edges of the heavenly body were a sandy color while the rest shone in a pretty jade light. The girl hated the reflection on her hair because it made her look like a weird blonde.

Good riddance. She was excited for that pesky green to be completely gone. Each season of the sun, her adoptive parents tried, in a disturbing cacophony, to sire a new child. Originally, Azena believed they were being received from the hands of the deities. But they weren't. They were once again religious lies. She understood what was really going on after Fayne explained it to her two years ago. She thought it was the worst of the seasons. Ironically, it followed the funniest one: the hammer one. Fighting had always captured the Kindirah's attention. Argent took her to tournaments and spectacles, all against her father's wishes.

The scythe season was generally quiet for her, but hard for the Litfow. It was harvest time and it affected almost all commoners. Fayne did not see her parents much during this time. They were running around like crazy to get their hands on the freshest food items.

Her friend must have been home alone. Maybe she would like some company. There's no way Serus was there, because he'd left on a so-called mission a few days ago. It was strange. Azena was very suspicious of him. Something was fishy, but no one seemed to doubt or know more information. Everyone treated her like an idiot.

The silver-haired girl suddenly became angry and made an abrupt movement as if she had tried to hit an invisible being to her right. She clenched her jaw, angry, and sat upright.

She decided to go to Fayne's house in the hope of finding some comfort and warmth.

Overconfident, she took a false step as she climbed down from the roof to a barrel resting on the side of the humble building. She slipped and fell to the ground, which was a poorly maintained dirt road. Her beige tunic - well, Gendrel's tunic - was stained with mud.

She growled, kicked the house and dashed towards the Litfow's house.

Soon after, she was just close enough to hear Gannia come out of her cave and start rambling angrily.

"I know it's you again, cursed witch!" she barked as she swung her wooden stick around.

Azena would have cast a spell on her if she could.

"But I couldn't! I'm not a witch, even less a cursed one! What bullshit!"

She wanted to run away and start her own life. She wouldn't have known where to start. Also, she didn't like the idea of separating from Fayne, Argent and Gendrel. As for the rest of the world, it could go fuck itself.

Once at the Litfow home, she knocked. As she expected, Fayne invited her in and her parents were absent.

"How are things going?" she asked in an offbeat tone due to nervousness.

"Not too bad," said Fayne with a smile.

For a moment, Azena thought that smile was meant for her, but she soon realized that it wasn't when her friend turned to briefly gaze at a bouquet of yellow and white flowers on the kitchen counter.

"But, of course," the Kindirah grumbled quietly.

"Pardon?" asked Fayne, seemingly confused.

"Nothing, nothing at all."

She sat down on a stool, laid her upper body lazily on the dining table and sighed.

"You don't seem to be alright," remarked the teenager who joined her.

Azena felt like she had a heavy weight on her shoulders and a hole in her soul. She didn't know how to express it or how to help herself. She slightly regretted coming, wanting to sprint alone, the cool night breeze hitting her face as she would run.

"Want to play fight in the dark?"

Fayne froze for a long time, seeming unsure of what to answer.

"It must be seasons since we've played," the little rebel reminded her. "You don't want to these days."

"How can I explain it to you?" mumbled the Litfow, thinking.

She couldn't deny the truth. She was acting more and more differently, and their two-year age gap was starting to show.

"You see, Ze, I love to play fight you in a completely dark room, but... my tastes are changing."

"You mean you prefer Serus to me?" grunted the younger one. "Is that it? Am I too childish for you?"

"You see it the wrong way. Come on, you're still my best friend and I assure you, everything's fine. I adore you. You're a damn fool, in a good way, and no one can replace you, not even your elder brother."

"Promise?" Azena asked with hopeful eyes.

"I assure you," Fayne replied, bowing as if to show her good will.

"Well... okay. But I'll tell you that I still hate Serus."

"And no one's forcing you to think anything else of him."

"Well... what do you see in him? Well... it's..."

She ended her sentence with an incomprehensible grunt. Meanwhile, the Litfow grimaced, seemingly uncomfortable with the subject.

"Don't tell me this isn't just about romance?" Azena realized, outraged.

"There's that... but, obviously, I want to support myself and help my family as much as possible," Fayne confessed, her cheeks slightly rosy.

"Disgusting, Fayne."

"You'll find your way," the brunette smiled warmly. "Sometimes it's not clear for some time."

"Damn, you sound like a parent," Azena grunted with a smirk, unable to stay angry, her mood greatly improved by her friend's support. "The worst part is that it helps."

They giggled heartily.

"Here's to new adventures!" the brunette cheered.

"To our future path!" continued the younger one. "May it show itself sooner rather than later!"

"I'm going to get us a little glass of wine to celebrate."

"Celebrate what exactly?"

"Our friendship. Do we need any other reason?"

"That's fine by me."